Charité researchers test muscle stimulation on ISS

Researchers from Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) are testing a new method to combat muscle and bone loss in microgravity. To prevent tissue degradation during long-duration spaceflight, astronauts currently undergo up to 2.5 hours of daily exercise, including treadmill running, cycling, and resistance training.

To increase the efficiency of these workouts, the EasyMotion-2 experiment on the International Space Station (ISS) is evaluating the use of electrical muscle stimulation (EMS). ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot has utilized a specialized stimulation suit designed to enhance the training effect through electrical impulses. This technology, developed by EasyMotionSkin GmbH and adapted by OHB System AG, aims to make physical conditioning more effective for future long-term missions, such as a potential two-year journey to Mars.